iLUtu  'SSlTY  Qc 


+6 


' 


rC 


>> 


HOUSE 


No.  50 


<KommonU)c«ilUj  of  fHassactnuscttc. 


House  of  Representatives,  March  12,  1845. 


The  Special  Committee  to  which  was  referred  sundry  petitions 
relating  to  the  hours  of  labor,  have  considered  the  same  and 
submit  the  following 

REPORT: 


in 

5-4 


2 


c 

MV 


.  O 


tr> 

<0 


* 


The  first  petition  which  was  referred  to  your  committee, 
came  from  the  city  of  Lowell,  and  was  signed  by  Mr.  John 
Quincy  Adams  Thayer,  and  eight  hundred  and  fifty  others, 
“peaceable,  industrious,  hard  working  men  and  women  of 
Lowell.”  The  petitioners  declare  that  they  are  confined  “  from 
thirteen  to  fourteen  hours  per  day  in  unhealthy  apartments,” 
and  are  thereby  “hastening  through  pain,  disease  and  priva¬ 
tion,  down  to  a  premature  grave.”  They  therefore  ask  the 
Legislature  “  to  pass  a  law  providing  that  ten  hours  shall  con¬ 
stitute  a  day’s  work,”  and  that  no  corporation  or  private  citi¬ 
zen  “  shall  be  allowed,  except  in  cases  of  emergency,  to  employ 
one  set  of  hands  more  than  ten  hours  per  day.” 

The  second  petition  came  from  the  town  of  Fall  River,  and 
is  signed  by  John  Gregory  and  four  hundred  and  eighty-eight 
others.  These  petitions  ask  for  the  passage  of  a  law  to  consti- 


kO  Q 


r* 


2  HOURS  OF  LABOR.  [March, 

tute  u  ten  hours  a  day’s  work  in  all  corporations  created  by  the 
Legislature.” 

The  third  petition  signed  by  Samuel  W.  Clark  and  five  hun¬ 
dred  others,  citizens  of  Andover,  is  in  precisely  the  same  words 
as  the  one  from  Fall  River. 

The  fourth  petition  is  from  Lowell,  and  is  signed  by  James 
Carle  and  three  hundred  others.  The  petitioners  ask  for  the 
enactment  of  a  law  making  ten  hours  a  day’s  work,  where  no 
specific  agreement  is  entered  into  between  the  parties.” 

The  whole  number  of  names  on  the  several  petitions  is  2,139, 
of  which  1,151  are  from  Lowell.  A  very  large  proportion  of 
the  Lowell  petitioners  are  females.  Nearly  one  half  of  the 
Andover  petitioners  are  females.  The  petition  from  Fall  River 
is  signed  exclusively  by  males. 

In  view  of  the  number  and  respectability  of  the  petitioners 
who  had  brought  their  grievances  before  the  Legislature,  the 
Committee  asked  for  and  obtained  leave  of  the  House  to  send 
for  a  persons  and  papers,”  in  order  that  they  might  enter  into 
an  examination  of  the  matter,  and  report  the  result  of  their 
examination  to  the  Legislature  as  a  basis  for  legislative  action, 
should  any  be  deemed  necessary. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  the  Committee  held  a  session  to 
hear  the  petitioners  from  the  city  of  Lowell.  Six  of  the  female 
and  three  of  the  male  petitioners  were  present,  and  gave  in 
their  testimony. 

The  first  petitioner  who  testified  was  Eliza  R.  Hemming- 
way.  She  had  worked  2  years  and  9  months  in  the  Lowell 
Factories;  2  years  in  the  Middlesex,  and  9  months  in  the  Ham¬ 
ilton  Corporations.  Her  employment  is  weaving, — works  by 
the  piece.  The  Hamilton  Mill  manufactures  cotton  fabrics. 
The  Middlesex,  woollen  fabrics.  She  is  now  at  work  in  the 
Middlesex  Mills,  and  attends  one  loom.  Her  wages  average 
from  $16  to  $23  a  month  exclusive  of  board.  She  complained 
of  the  hours  for  labor  being  too  many,  and  the  time  for  meals 
too  limited.  In  the  summer  season,  the  work  is  commenced  at 
5  o’clock,  A.  M.,  and  continued  till  7  o’clock,  P.  M.,  with  half 
an  hour  for  breakfast  and  three  quarters  of  an  hour  for  dinner. 
During  eight  months  of  the  year,  but  half  an  hour  is  allowed 


1845.] 


HOUSE— No.  50. 


3 


for  dinner.  The  air  in  the  room  she  considered  not  to  be 
wholesome.  There  were  293  small  lamps  and  61  large  lamps 
lighted  in  the  room  in  which  she  worked,  when  evening  work 
is  required.  These  lamps  are  also  lighted  sometimes  in  the 
morning. — About  130  females,  11  men,  and  12  children  (be¬ 
tween  the  ages  of  11  and  14.)  work  in  the  room  with  her. 
She  thought  the  children  enjoyed  about  as  good  health  as  chil¬ 
dren  generally  do.  The  children  work  but  9  months  out  of  12. 
The  other  3  months  they  must  attend  school.  Thinks  that 
there  is  no  day  when  there  are  less  than  six  of  the  females  out 
of  the  mill  from  sickness.  Has  known  as  many  as  thirty. 
She,  herself,  is  out  quite  often,  on  account  of  sickness.  There 
was  more  sickness  in  the  Summer  than  in  the  Winter  months ; 
though  in  the  Summer,  lamps  are  not  lighted.  She  thought 
there  was  a  general  desire  among  the  females  to  work  but  ten 
hours,  regardless  of  pay.  Most  of  the  girls  are  from  the  coun- 
try,  who  work  in  the  Lowell  Mills.  The  average  time  which 
they  remain  there  is  about  three  years.  She  knew  one  girl 
who  had  worked  there  14  years.  Her  health  was  poor  when 
she  left.  Miss  Hemmingway  said  her  health  was  better  where 
she  now  worked,  than  it  was  when  she  worked  on  the  Hamil¬ 
ton  Corporation. 

She  knew  of  one  girl  who  last  winter  went  into  the  mill  at 
half  past  4  o’clock,  A.  M.  and  worked  till  half  past  7  o’clock, 
P.  M.  She  did  so  to  make  more  money.  She  earned  from 
$25  to  $30  per  month.  There  is  always  a  large  number  of 
girls  at  the  gate  wishing  to  get  in  before  the  bell  rings.  On  the 
Middlesex  Corporation  one  fourth  part  of  the  females  go  into 
the  mill  before  they  are  obliged  to.  They  do  this  to  make 
more  wages.  A  large  number  come  to  Lowell  to  make  money 
to  aid  their  parents  who  are  poor.  She  knew  of  many  cases 
where  married  women  came  to  Lowell  and  worked  in  the  mills 
to  assist  their  husbands  to  pay  for  their  farms.  The  moral 
character  of  the  operatives  is  good.  There  was  only  one 
American  female  in  the  room  with  her  who  could  not  write  her 
name. 

Miss  Sarah  G.  Bagley  said  she  had  worked  in  the  Lowell 


4 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


Mills  eight  years  and  a  half, — six  years  and  a  half  on  the  Ham¬ 
ilton  Corporation,  and  two  years  on  the  Middlesex.  She  is  a 
weaver,  and  works  by  the  piece.  She  worked  in  the  mills 
three  years  before  her  health  began  to  fail.  She  is  a  native  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  went  home  six  weeks  during  the  sum¬ 
mer.  Last  year  she  was  out  of  the  mill  a  third  of  the  time. 
She  thinks  the  health  of  the  operatives  is  not  so  good  as  the 
health  of  females  who  do  house-work  or  millinery  business. 
The  chief  evil,  so  far  as  health  is  concerned,  is  the  shortness  of 
time  allowed  for  meals.  The  next  evil  is  the  length  of  time 
employed — not  giving  them  time  to  cultivate  their  minds.  She 
spoke  of  the  high  moral  and  intellectual  character  of  the  girls. 
That  many  were  engaged  as  teachers  in  the  Sunday  schools. 
That  many  attended  the  lectures  of  the  Lowell  Institute;  and 
she  thought,  if  more  time  was  allowed,  that  more  lectures 
would  be  given  and  more  girls  attend.  She  thought  that  the 
girls  generally  were  favorable  to  the  ten  hour  system.  She 
had  presented  a  petition,  same  as  the  one  before  the  Committe, 
to  132  girls,  most  of  whom  said  that  they  would  prefer  to  work 
but  ten  hours.  In  a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  it  would  be  bet¬ 
ter,  as  their  health  would  be  improved.  They  would  have 
more  time  for  sewing.  Their  intellectual,  moral  and  religious 
habits  would  also  be  benefited  by  the  change. 

Miss  Bagley  said,  in  addition  to  her  labor  in  the  mills,  she 
had  kept  evening  school  during  the  winter  months,  for  four 
years,  and  thought  that  this  extra  labor  must  have  injured  her 
health. 

Miss  Judith  Payne  testified  that  she  came  to  Lowell  16  years 
ago,  and  worked  a  year  and  a  half  in  the  Merrimack  Cotton 
Mills,  left  there  on  account  of  ill  health,  and  remained  out 
over  seven  years.  She  was  sick  most  of  the  time  she  was  out. 
Seven  years  ago  she  went  to  work  in  the  Boott  Mills,  and  has 
remained  there  ever  since  ;  works  by  the  piece.  She  has  lost, 
during  the  last  seven  years,  about  one  year  from  ill  health. 
She  is  a  weaver,  and  attends  three  looms  Last  pay-  day  she 
drew  $14  66  for  five  weeks  work  ;  this  was  exclusive  of  board. 
She  was  absent  during  the  five  weeks  but  half  a  day.  She 


1845.] 


HOUSE— No.  50. 


5 


says  there  is  a  very  general  feeling  in  favor  of  the  ten  hour 
system  among  the  operatives.  She  attributes  her  ill  health  to 
the  long  hours  of  labor,  the  shortness  of  time  for  meals,  and  the 

vr 

bad  air  of  the  mills.  She  had  never  spoken  to  Mr.  French,  the 
agent,  or  to  the  overseer  of  her  room,  in  relation  to  these  mat¬ 
ters.  She  could  not  say  that  more  operatives  died  in  Lowell 
than  other  people. 

Miss  Olive  J.  Clark. — She  is  employed  on  the  Lawrence 
Corporation;  has  been  there  five  years;  makes  about  $1  G2£ 
per  week,  exclusive  of  board.  She  has  been  home  to  New 
Hampshire  to  school.  Her  health  never  was  good.  The  work 
is  not  laborious;  can  sit  down  about  a  quarter  of  the  time. 
About  fifty  girls  work  in  the  spinning-room  with  her,  three  of 
whom  signed  the  petition.  She  is  in  favor  of  the  ten  hour  sys¬ 
tem,  and  thinks  that  the  long  hours  had  an  effect  upon  her 
health.  She  is  kindly  treated  by  her  employers.  There  is 
hardly  a  week  in  which  there  is  not  some  one  out  on  account 
of  sickness.  Thinks  the  air  is  bad,  on  account  of  the  small  par¬ 
ticles  of  cotton  which  fly  about.  She  has  never  spoken  with 
the  agent  or  overseer  about  working  only  ten  hours. 

Miss  Celicia  Phillips  has  worked  four  years  in  Lowell.  Her 
testimony  was  similar  to  that  given  by  Miss  Clark. 

Miss  Elizabeth  llowe  has  worked  in  Lowell  16  months,  all 
the  time  on  the  Lawrence  Corporation,  came  from  Maine,  she 
is  a  weaver,  works  by  the  piece,  runs  four  looms.  “  My 
health,”  she  says,  “  has  been  very  good  indeed  since  I  worked 
there,  averaged  three  dollars  a  week  since  1  have  been  there 
besides  my  board ;  have  heard  very  little  about  the  hours  of 
labor  being  too  long.”  She  consented  to  have  her  name  put  on 
the  petition  because  Miss  Phillips  asked  her  to.  She  would 
prefer  to  work  only  ten  hours.  Between  50  and  60  work  in  the 
room  with  her.  Her  room  is  better  ventilated  and  more  healthy 
than  most  others.  Girls  who  wish  to  attend  lectures  can  go 
out  before  the  bell  rings ;  my  overseer  lets  them  go,  also  Sat¬ 
urdays  they  go  out  before  the  bell  rings.  It  was  her  wish  to 


6 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


attend  4  looms.  She  has  a  sister  who  has  worked  in  the  mill 
7  years.  Her  health  is  very  good.  Don’t  known  that  she  has 
ever  been  out  on  account  of  sickness.  The  general  health  of 
the  operatives  is  good.  Have  never  spoken  to  my  employers 
about  the  work  being  too  hard,  or  the  hours  too  long.  Don’t 
know  any  one  who  lias  been  hastened  to  a  premature  grave  by 
factory  labor.  I  never  attended  any  of  the  lectures  in  Lowell 
on  the  ten  hour  system.  Nearly  all  the  female  operatives  in 
Lowell  work  by  the  piece  ;  and  of  the  petitioners  who  appeared 
before  the  Committee,  Miss  Hemingway,  Miss  Bagby,  Miss 
Payne  and  Miss  Rowe  work  by  the  piece,  and  Miss  Clark  and 
Miss  Phillips  by  the  week. 

Mr.  Gilman  Gale ,  a  member  of  the  city  council,  and  who 
keeps  a  provision  store,  testified  that  the  short  time  allowed  for 
meals  he  thought  the  greatest  evil.  He  spoke  highly  of  the 
character  of  the  operatives  and  of  the  agents;  also  of  the 
boarding  houses  and  the  public  schools.  He  had  two  children 
in  the  mills  who  enjoyed  good  health.  The  mills  are  kept  as 
clean  and  as  well  ventilated  as  it  is  possible  for  them  to  be. 

Mr.  Herman  Abbott  had  worked  in  the  Lawrence  Corpora¬ 
tion  13  years.  Never  heard  much  complaint  among  the  girls 
about  the  long  hours,  never  heard  the  subject  spoken  of  in  the 
mills.  Does  not  think  it  would  be  satisfactory  to  the  girls  to 
work  only  ten  hours,  if  their  wages  were  to  be  reduced  in  pro¬ 
portion.  Forty-two  girls  work  in  the  room  with  him.  The 
girls  often  get  back  to  the  gate  before  the  bell  rings. 

Mr.  John  Quincy  Adams  Thayer ,  has  lived  in  Lowell  4 
years,  11  works  at  physical  labor  in  the  summer  season,  and 
mental  labor  in  the  winter.”  Has  worked  in  the  big  machine 
shop  24  months,  off  and  on ;  never  worked  in  a  cotton  or 
woollen  mill.  Thinks  that  the  mechanics  in  the  machine  shop 
are  not  so  healthy  as  in  other  shops ;  nor  so  intelligent  as  the 
other  classes  in  Lowell.  He  drafted  the  petition.  Has  heard 
many  complain  of  the  long  hours. 


1845.] 


HOUSE — No.  50. 


7 


Mr.  S.  P.  Adams ,  a  member  of  the  House  from  Lowell,  said 
he  worked  in  the  machine  shop,  and  the  men  were  as  intelli¬ 
gent  as  any  other  class,  and  enjoyed  as  good  health  as  any 
persons  who  work  in-doors.  The  air  in  the  shop  is  as  good  as 
in  any  shop.  About  350  hands  work  there,  about  half  a  dozen 
of  whom  are  what  is  called  ten  hour  men.  They  all  would 
be  ten  hour  men  if  they  could  get  as  good  pay. 

The  only  witnesses  whom  the  Committee  examined,  whose 
names  were  not  on  the  petition,  were  Mr.  Adams  and  Mr.  Isaac 
Cooper,  a  member  of  the  House  from  Lowell,  and  also  has 
worked  as  an  overseer  in  the  Lawrence  Cotton  Mills  for  nine 
years.  His  evidence  was  very  full.  He  gave  it  as  his  opinion 
that  the  girls  in  the  mills  enjoy  the  best  health,  for  the  reason 
that  they  rise  early,  go  to  bed  early,  and  have  three  meals  reg¬ 
ular.  In  his  room  there  are  60  girls,  and  since  1S37,  has  known 
of  only  one  girl  who  went  home  from  Lowell  and  died.  He 
does  not  find  that  those  who  stay  the  longest  in  the  mill  grow 
sickly  and  weak.  The  rooms  are  heated  by  steampipes,  and 
the  temperature  of  the  rooms  is  regulated  by  a  thermometer. 
It  is  so  he  believes  in  all  the  mills.  The  heat  of  the  room  va¬ 
ries  from  62  to  68  degrees. 

The  above  testimony  embraces  all  the  important  facts  which 
were  elicited  from  the  persons  who  appeared  before  the  Com¬ 
mittee. 

On  Saturday  the  1st  of  March,  a  portion  of  the  Committee 
went  to  Lowell  to  examine  the  mills,  and  to  observe  the  gen¬ 
eral  appearance  of  the  operatives  therein  employed.  They 
arrived  at  Lowell  after  an  hour’s  ride  upon  the  rail-road.  They 
first  proceeded  to  the  Merrimack  Cotton  Mills,  in  which  are 
employed  usually  1200  females  and  300  males.  They  were 
permitted  to  visit  every  part  of  the  works  and  to  make  what¬ 
ever  inquiries  they  pleased  of  the  persons  employed.  They 
found  every  apartment  neat  and  clean,  and  the  girls,  so  far  as 
personal  appearance  went,  healthy  and  robust,  as  girls  are  in 
our  country  towns. 

The  Committee  also  visited  the  Massachusetts  and  Boott 
Mills,  both  of  which  manufacture  cotton  goods.  The  same 


8 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March. 


spirit  of  thrift  and  cleanliness,  of  personal  comfort  and  con¬ 
tentment,  prevailed  there.  The  rooms  are  large  and  well  lighted, 
the  temperature  comfortable,  and  in  most  of  the  window  cills 
were  numerous  shrubs  and  plants,  such  as  geraniums,  roses,  and 
numerous  varieties  of  the  cactus.  These  were  the  pets  of  the 
factory  girls,  and  they  were  to  the  Committee  convincing  evi¬ 
dence  of  the  elevated  moral  tone  and  refined  taste  of  the  opera¬ 
tives. 

The  Committee  also  visited  the  Lowell  and  the  Middlesex 
mills;  in  the  first  of  which  carpets  are  manufactured,  and  in 
the  second,  broadcloths,  cassimeres,  &c.  These  being  woollen 
mills,  the  Committee  did  not  expect  to  find  that  perfect  clean¬ 
liness  which  can  be  and  has  been  attained  in  cotton  mills.  It 
would,  however,  be  dillicult  to  institute  a  comparison  between 
the  mills  on  this  point,  or  to  suggest  an  improvement.  Not 
only  is  the  interior  of  the  mills  kept  in  the  best  order,  but  great 
regard  has  been  paid  by  many  of  the  agents  to  the  arrange¬ 
ment  of  the  enclosed  grounds.  Grass  plats  have  been  laid 
out,  trees  have  been  planted,  and  fine  varieties  of  flowers  in 
their  season,  are  cultivated  within  the  factory  grounds.  In 
short,  every  thing  in  and  about  the  mills,  and  the  boarding 
houses  appeared,  to  have  for  its  end,  health  and  comfort.  The 
same  remark  would  apply  to  the  city  generally.  Your  com¬ 
mittee  returned  fully  satisfied,  that  the  order,  decorum,  and 
general  appearance  of  things  in  and  about  the  mills,  could  not 
be  improved  by  any  suggestion  of  theirs,  or  by  any  act  of  the 
Legislature. 

During  our  short  stay  in  Lowell,  we  gathered  many  facts, 
which  we  deem  of  sufficient  importance  to  state  in  this  report, 
and  first,  in  relation  to  the 

HOURS  OF  LABOR. 

From  Mr.  Clark,  the  agent  of  the  Merrimack  Corporation, 
we  obtained  the  following  table  of  the  time  which  the  mills  run 
during  the  year. 

Begin  work. — From  1st  May  to  31st  August,  at  5  o’clock. 

From  1st  September  to  30th  April,  as  soon  as 
they  can  see. 


1845. J 


HOUSE— No.  50. 


9 


Breakfast. — From  1st  November  to  28  th  February,  before 

going  to  work. 

From  1st  March  to  31st  of  March,  at  7£  o’clock. 

From  1st  April  to  19th  September,  at  7  o’clock. 

From  20th  Sept,  to  31st  October,  at  7J  o’clock. 
Return  in  half  an  hour. 

Dinner. — Through  the  year  at  12J  o’clock. 

* 

From  1st  May  to  31st  Aug.  return  in  45  minutes. 

From  1st  Sept,  to  30th  April,  return  in  30  minutes. 

Quit  work. — From  1st  May  to  31st  August,  at  7  o’clock. 

From  1st  September  to  19th  Sept.,  at  dark. 

From  20th  Sept,  to  19th  March,  at  7£  o’clock. 

From  20th  March  to  30th  April,  at  dark. 

Lamps  are  never  lighted  on  Saturday  evenings.  The  above 
is  the  time  which  is  kept  in  all  the  mills  in  Lowell,  with  a  slight 
difference  in  the  machine  shop;  and  it  makes  the  average  daily 
time  throughout  the  year,  of  running  the  mills,  to  be  12  hours 
and  ten  minutes. 

There  are  four  days  in  the  year  which  are  observed  as  holi¬ 
days,  and  on  which  the  mills  are  never  put  in  motion.  These 
are  Fast  Day,  Fourth  of  July,  Thanksgiving  Day,  and  Christ¬ 
mas  Day.  These  make  one  day  more  than  is  usually  devoted 
to  pastime  in  any  other  place  in  New  England.  The  following 
table  shows  the  average  hours  of  work  per  day,  throughout  the 
year,  in  the  Lowell  Mills  : 


Hours. 

Min. 

Hours. 

Min. 

January, 

11 

24 

July, 

12 

45 

February, 

12 

August,  * 

12 

45 

March, # 

11 

52 

September, 

12 

23 

April,  * 

13 

31 

October,  • 

12 

10 

May,  • 

12 

45 

November, 

11 

56 

June, 

12 

45 

December, 

11 

24 

*  The  hours  of  labor  on  the  1st  of  March  are  less  than  in  February,  even  though  the  day's 

are  a  little  longer,  because  30  minutes  are  allowed  for  breakfast  from  the  1st  of  March  to 
the  1st  of  September. 

2 


10 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


In  Great  Britain,  the  hours  of  labor  per  week  are  limited  by 
act  of  Parliament  to  69,  or  11J  hours  per  day,  but  the  general 
regulation  in  all  the  factories  is  9  hours  on  Saturday  and  12 
hours  on  each  of  the  other  five  working  days.  It  is  also  enact¬ 
ed  that  there  shall  be  six  holidays  in  the  course  of  the  year. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  diaw  a  comparison  between  the  ope¬ 
rations  in  Great  Britain  and  those  in  Lowell.  The  one  is  a 
manufacturing  population,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  the 
other  is  not.  There,  the  whole  family  go  into  the  mills  as  sobn 
as  they  have  sufficient  bodily  strength  to  earn  a  penny.  They 
never  come  out  until  they  die.  Very  little  attention  is  paid  to 
their  moral  or  physical  culture,  and,  as  has  been  proved  by 
facts  ascertained  by  commissioners  appointed  by  Parliament, 
few  can  read  or  write,  and,  unless  they  have  attended  Sabbath 
schools,  few  obtain  any  knowledge  of  the  Bible  or  of  the  Christ¬ 
ian  religion. 

In  Lowell,  but  very  few  (in  some  mills  none  at  all)  enter  into 
the  factories  under  the  age  of  fifteen.  None  under  that  age 
can  be  admitted,  unless  they  bring  a  certificate  from  the  school 
teacher,  that  he  or  she  has  attended  school  at  least  three  months 
during  the  preceding  twelve.  Nine-tenths  of  the  factory  popu¬ 
lation  in  Lowell  come  from  the  country.  They  are  farmers’ 
daughters.  Many  of  them  come  over  a  hundred  miles  to  enter 
the  mills.  Their  education  has  been  attended  to  in  the  district 
schools,  which  are  dotted  like  diamonds  over  every  square 
mile  of  New  England.  Their  moral  and  religious  characters 
have  been  formed  by  pious  parents,  under  the  paternal  roof. 
Their  bodies  have  been  developed,  and  their  constitutions  made 
strong  by  pure  air,  wholesome  food,  and  youthful  exercise. 

After  an  absence  of  a  few  years,  having  laid  by  a  few  hun¬ 
dred  dollars,  they  depart  for  their  homes,  get  married,  settle 
down  in  life,  and  become  the  heads  of  families.  Such,  we  be¬ 
lieve,  in  truth,  to  be  a  correct  statement  of  the  Lowell  opera¬ 
tives,  and  of  the  hours  of  labor. 

THE  GENERAL  HEALTH  OF  THE  OPERATIVES. 

In  regard  to  the  health  of  the  operatives  employed  in  the 
mills,  your  Committee  believe  it  to  be  good.  The  testimony  of 


1845.] 


HOUSE— No.  50, 


11 


the  female  petitioners  does  not  controvert  this  position,  in  gen¬ 
eral,  though  it  does  in  particular  instances.  The  population  of 
the  city  of  Lowell  is  now  rising  26,000,  of  which  number,  about 
7,000  are  females  employed  in  the  mills.  It  is  the  opinion  of 
Dr.  Kimball,  an  eminent  physician  of  Lowell,  with  whom  the 
Committee  had  an  interview,  that  there  is  less  sickness  among 
the  persons  at  work  in  the  mills,  than  there  is  among  those  who 
do  not  work  in  the  mills;  and  that  there  is  less  sickness  now 
than  there  was  several  years  ago,  when  the  number  was  much 
less  than  at  present.  This  we  understood  to  be  also  the  opinion 
of  the  city  physician,  Dr.  Wells,  from  whose  published  report 
for  the  present  year,  we  learn  that  the  whole  number  of  deaths 
in  Lowell,  during  the  year  1844,  was  362,  of  which  number, 
200  were  children  under  ten  years  of  age. 

The  following  table  shows  the  comparative  mortality  in  Low¬ 
ell  during  the  past  live  years,  enumerating  some  of  the  princi¬ 
pal  diseases  : — 


DISEASES. 

1840 

1841 

■ 

1  842 

1843 

1844 

Consumption,  • 

40 

54 

70 

73 

77 

Inflammation  of  Lungs, 

17 

20 

38 

16 

24 

Cholera  Infantum, 

12 

30 

34 

27 

31 

Scarlet  Fever,  • 

7 

43 

32 

6 

3 

Measles, 

0 

4 

12 

0 

10 

Dysentery, 

47 

18 

17 

11 

2 

Inflammation  of  Brain, 

7 

11 

6 

8 

4 

Croup,  * 

7 

10 

12 

6 

11 

Total  Mortality  each  year, 

426 

456 

473 

363 

362 

The  population  of  Lowell,  in  May,  1840,  was  7341  males 
and  13,740  females;  total,  20,981.  The  population  in  May, 
1844,  was  9432  males,  15,637  females;  total,  25,163;  increase 
of  population  in  four  years,  4182.  Notwithstanding  this  in¬ 
crease  of  population,  the  number  of  deaths  has  decreased. 
There  being  fewer  the  past  year  than  in  any  of  the  four  pre¬ 
ceding  years,  and  64  less  in  1844  than  in  1840.  Yet,  during 
the  past  year,  the  mills  have  been  in  more  active  operation  than 
during  either  of  the  four  years  preceding.  The  decrease  in  the 


12 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


mortality  of  Lowell,  Dr.  Wells  attributes,  in  part,  to  “  the  en¬ 
lightened  policy  of  the  city  government,  in  directing  the  con¬ 
struction  of  common  sewers,  and  the  enterprise  of  individuals, 
in  multiplying  comfortable  habitations,  the  establishment  of 
a  hospital,  supported  by  the  liberality  of  the  corporations,  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  sick  in  their  employ,  The  more  gen¬ 
eral  diffusion  of  a  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  health,  is  also  con¬ 
ducive  to  the  same  end.” 

The  petitioners  thought  that  the  statements  made  by  our 
city  physician,  as  to  the  number  of  deaths,  were  delusive,  in¬ 
asmuch  as  many  of  the  females  when  taken  sick  in  Lowell  do 
not  stay  there,  but  return  to  their  homes  in  the  country  and 
die.  Dr.  Kimball  thought  that  the  number  who  return  home 
when  seized  with  sickness  was  small.  Mr.  Cooper,  whose  tes¬ 
timony  we  have  given,  and  who  is  a  gentlemen  of  great  expe¬ 
rience,  says  that  he  has  known  but  one  girl  who,  during  the 
last  eight  years,  went  home  from  Lowell  and  died.  We  have 
no  doubt,  however,  that  many  of  the  operatives  do  leave  Low¬ 
ell  and  return  to  their  homes  when  their  health  is  feeble,  but 
the  proportion  is  not  large.  Certainly  it  has  created  no  alarm, 
for  the  sisters  and  acquaintances  of  those  who  have  gone  home 
return  to  Lowell  to  supply  the  vacancies  which  their  absence 
had  created. 

In  the  year  1841,  Mr.  French,  the  agent  of  the  Boott  Mills, 
adopted  a  mode  of  ascertaining  from  the  females  employed  in 
that  mill  the  effect  which  factory  labor  had  upon  their  health. 
The  questions  which  he  put  were  : 

11  What  is  your  age?” 

“  How  long  have  you  worked  in  a  cotton  mill?” 

“  Is  your  health  as  good  as  before  ?” 

These  questions  were  addressed  to  every  female  in  “  No.  2, 
Boott  Mill.”  The  Committee  have  the  names  of  the  females 
interrogated,  and  the  answers  which  they  returned,  and  the 
result  is  as  follows  : 


1845.] 


HOUSE— No.  50. 


13 


List  of  Girls  in  Boott  Mill ,  No.  2 — May  1841. 


Where  Employed. 

Whole 
No.  of 
Girls. 

Average 

Age. 

Average  time 
employed  in  a 
Mill. 

EFFECT  UPON  HEALTH. 

Impr’d. 

As  good. 

Not  as  gd. 

Carding  Room,  * 

/ 

20 

T. 

23 

D. 

30 

Y. 

5 

D. 

25 

3 

12 

5 

Spinning  “ 

47 

28 

38 

4 

10 

14 

29 

4 

Dressing  “ 

25 

26 

60 

7 

25 

2 

16 

7 

Weaving  “ 

111 

22 

98 

3 

84 

10 

62 

39 

Whole  No.  • 

203 

22 

85 

4 

29 

V 

119 

55 

To  these  questions,  several  of  the  girls  appended  remarks. 
One  girl,  named  S.  Middleton,  had  worked  in  a  mill  9  years. 
She  says,  “  health  quite  as  good  ;  has  not  been  sick  in  the 
time.”  A  Miss  Proctor  says,  “  have  worked  14  years ;  health 
a  great  deal  better;  sick  when  out  of  the  mill.”  A  Miss  Law¬ 
rence  says,  “have  been  5  years  in  a  mill;  health  quite  as 
good;  not.  a  day’s  sickness  in  the  time.”  A  Miss  Clark  says, 
“  have  been  17  years  in  the  mill  ;  health  quite  as  good;  hasn't 
hurt  her  a  mite."  The  Boott  Mill  employs  about  900  girls,  not 
half  a  dozen  of  whom  are  under  15  years  of  age. 

In  order  to  give  the  House  a  full  statement  of  the  facts  con¬ 
nected  with  the  factory  system  in  Lowell,  and  in  other  towns 
in  the  Commonwealth,  it  would  be  necessary  to  answer  inter¬ 
rogatories  like  these  : 

1st.  The  kind  of  work  of  the  girls — is  it  proportioned  to 
their  age  and  intelligence  ? 

2d.  The  amount  of  their  wages,  and  how  the  girls  dispose 
of  them  ? 

3d.  Are  the  girls  separated  from  the  men? — what  surveil- 
ance  is  exercised  over  them? — what  police  is  used  ? 

4th.  What  is  their  religious,  moral  or  literary  instruction? 

5th.  Where  do  they  pass  the  time  not  occupied  in  work? 

6th.  What  are  their  general  habits  and  character?  What 
is  the  common  age  of  entering  the  mill,  and  how  long  does  a 
girl  remain  there  ? 

These  and  other  questions  are  very  fully  answered  by  B.  F. 


14 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


French,  Esq.,  agent  of  the  Boott  Mills,  in  a  letter  addressed  to 
Wrn.  Boott,  Esq.,  dated  Lowell,  March  22d,  1844,  a  copy  of 
which  is  subjoined,  marked  u  A.” 

In  addition  to  which  we  have  been  permitted  to  copy  the 
following  memoranda  from  a  book  kept  by  John  Clark,  Esq., 
agent  of  the  Merrimack  Mills : 

May  6 th,  1841. 

“I  have  ascertained,  by  inquiries  this  day,  that  124  of  the 
females  now  at  work  in  the  Merrimack  Mills  have  heretofore 
taught  school ;  and  that  in  addition  25  or  30  have  left  within 
the  last  30  days  to  engage  their  schools  for  the  summer,  mak¬ 
ing  in  all  150  or  more.  1  also  find,  by  inquiries  at  our  board¬ 
ing  houses,  that  290  of  our  girls  attended  school  during  the 
evenings  of  the  last  winter.” 


January  ls£,  1812. 

“  We  have  th's  day  in  our  five  mills,  40  females,  including 
sweepers  and  other  day  hands,  who  cannot  write  their  names; 
of  this  number,  30  are  Irish.  The  average  wages  of  20  job 
hands  of  the  above,  as  compared  with  the  same  number  of  the 
best  writers  in  the  same  ro:;ms,  is  over  18  per  cent,  below  them. 
All  our  weavers  sign  their  names  except  four,  in  No.  4,  upper 
room.” 


February  26,  1842. 

“We  have  this  day  in  our  five  mills,  50  foreigners,  37  are 
Irish,  (including  15  sweepers,)  10  English  and  3  Scotch,  and 
not  one  hand  in  all  our  works,  under  15  years  of  age  either 
male  or  female.  Usual  number  of  hands  employed  by  the 
Merrimack  Company  in  their  five  mills  is  about  1,200  females 
and  300  males.” 

There  are  many  interesting  facts  connected  with  this  inquiry 
which  your  Committee  have  not  included  in  the  foregoing  re¬ 
marks,  and  which  we  could  not  include  without  making  our 
report  of  too  voluminous  a  character. 

We  will  state  however  in  this  connection,  that  the  evidence 
which  we  obtained  from  gentlemen  connected  with  the  Lowell 


1845.] 


HOUSE — No.  50. 


15 


Mills  all  goes  to  prove  that  the  more  intelligent  and  moral  the 
operatives  are,  the  more  valuable  they  are  to  the  employers, 
and  the  greater  will  be  the  amount  of  their  earnings. 

Your  Committee  have  not  been  able  to  give  the  petitions  from 
the  other  towns  in  this  State  a  hearing.  We  believed  that  the 
whole  case  was  covered  by  the  petition  from  Lowell,  and  to 
the  consideration  of  that  petition  we  have  given  our  undivided 
attention,  and  we  have  come  to  the  conclusion  unanimously , 
that  legislation  is  not  necessary  at  the  present  time,  and  for 
the  following  reasons  : — 

1st.  TJfiat  a  law  limiting  the  hours  of  labor,  if  enacted  at  all, 
should'' be  of  a  general  nature.  That  it  should  apply  to  indi¬ 
viduals  or  copartnerships  as  well  as  to  corporations.  Because, 
if  it  is  wrong  to  labor  more  than  ten  hours  in  a  corporation,  it 
is  also  wrong  when  applied  to  individual  employers,  and  your 
Committee  are  not  aware  that  more  complaint  can  justly  be 
made  against  incorporated  companies  in  regard  to  the  hours  of 
labor,  than  can  be  against  individuals  or  copartnerships.  But 
it  will  l  e  said  in  reply  to  this,  that  corporations  are  the  ciea- 
tures  of  the  Legislature,  and  therefore  the  Legislature  can  con¬ 
trol  them  in  this,  as  in  other  matters.  This  to  a  certain  extent 
is  true,  but  your  Committee  go  farther  than  this,  and  say,  that 
not  only  are  corporations  subject  to  the  control  of  the  Legisla¬ 
ture  but  individuals  are  also,  and  if  it  should  ever  appear  that 
the  public  morals,  the  physical  condition,  or  the  social  well¬ 
being  of  society  were  endanged,  from  this  cause  or  from  any 
cause,  then  it  would  be  in  the  power  and  it  would  be  the  duty 
cf  the  Legislature  to  interpose  its  prerogative  to  avert  the  evil. 

2d.  Your  Committee  believe  that  the  factory  system,  as  it  is 
called,  is  not  more  injurious  to  health  than  other  kinds  of  in¬ 
door  labor.  That  a  law  which  would  compel  all  of  the  facto¬ 
ries  in  Massachusetts  to  run  their  machinery  but  ten  hours  out 
of  the  24,  while  those  in  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Rhode  Is¬ 
land  and  other  States  in  the  Union,  were  not  restricted  at  all, 
the  effect  would  be  to  close  the  gate  of  every  mill  in  the  State. 
It  would  be  the  same  as  closing  our  mills  one  day  in  every 
week,  and  although  Massachusetts  capital,  enterprise  and  in¬ 
dustry  are  willing  to  compete  on  fair  terms  with  the  same  of 


16 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


other  States,  and,  if  needs  be,  with  European  nations,  yet  it  is 
easy  to  perceive  that  we  could  not  compete  with  our  sister 
States,  much  less  with  foreign  countries,  if  a  restriction  of  this 
nature  was  put  upon  our  manufactories. 

3d.  It  would  be  impossible  to  legislate  to  restrict  the  hours 
of  labor,  without  affecting  very  materially  the  question  of  wa¬ 
ges  ;  and  that  is  a  matter  which  experience  has  taught  us  can 
be  much  better  regulated  by  the  parties  themselves  than  by 
the  Legislature.  Labor  in  Massachusetts  is  a  very  different 
commodity  from  what  it  is  in  foreign  countries.  Here  labor  is 
on  an  equality  with  capital,  and  indeed  controls  it,  and  so  it 
ever  will  be  while  free  education  and  free  constitutions  exist. 
And  although  we  may  find  fault,  and  say,  that  labor  works  too 
many  hours,  and  labor  is  too  severely  tasked,  yet  if  we  attempt 
by  legislation  to  enter  within  its  orbit  and  interfere  with  its 
plans,  we  will  be  told  to  keep  clear  and  to  mind  our  own  busi¬ 
ness.  Labor  is  intelligent  enough  to  make  its  own  bargains, 
and  look  out  for  its  own  interests  without  any  interference  from 
us;  and  your  Committee  want  no  better  proof  to  convince  them 
that  Massachusetts  men  and  Massachusetts  women,  are  equal 
to  this,  and  will  take  care  of  themselves  better  than  we  can 
take  care  of  them,  than  we  had  from  the  intelligent  and  virtu¬ 
ous  men  and  women  who  appeared  in  support  of  this  petition,, 
before  the  Committee. 

4th.  The  Committee  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  con¬ 
veying  the  impression,  that  there  are  no  abuses  in  the  present 
system  of  labor;  we  think  there  are  abuses;  we  think  that 
many  improvements  may  be  made,  and  we  believe  will  be 
made,  by  which  labor  will  not  be  so  severely  tasked  as  it  now 
is.  We  think  that  it  would  be  better  if  the  hours  for  labor 
were  less, — if  more  time  was  allowed  for  meals,  if  more  atten¬ 
tion  was  paid  to  ventilation  and  pure  air  in  our  manufactories, 
and  work-shops,  and  many  other  matters.  We  acknowledge 
all  this,  but  we  say,  the  remedy  is  not  with  us.  We  look  for 
it  in  the  progressive  improvement  in  art  and  science,  in  a 
higher  appreciation  of  man’s  destiny,  in  a  less  love  for  money, 
and  a  more  ardent  love  for  social  happiness  and  intellectual 
superiority.  Your  Committee,  therefore,  while  they  agree  with 


1845. 


HOUSE— No.  50. 


17 


the  petitioners  in  their  desire  to  lessen  the  burthens  imposed 
upon  labor,  differ  only  as  to  the  means  by  which  these  burthens 
are  sought  to  be  removed. 

It  would  be  an  interesting  inquiry  were  we  permitted  to  en¬ 
ter  upon  it,  to  give  a  brief  history  of  the  rise  and  progress  of 
the  factory  system  in  Massachusetts,  to  speak  of  its  small  be¬ 
ginnings,  and  show  its  magnificent  results.  Labor  has  made 
it  what  it  is,  and  labor  will  continue  to  improve  upon  it.  . 

Your  Committee,  in  conclusion,  respectfully  ask  to  be  dis¬ 
charged  from  the  further  consideration  of  the  matters  referred 
to  them,  and  that  the  petitions  be  referred  to  the  next  General 
Court. 

For  the  Committee, 

WM.  SCHOULER,  Chairman . 


3 


K 


/ 


18 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


(A.)  - 

Lowell,  March  22,  1844. 

William  Boott,  Esq.  : 

Dear  Sir, — It  gave  me  much  pleasure  to  receive  the  questions 
proposed  by  you  in  relation  to  the  females  in  our  establishment, 
and  I  exceedingly  regret  that  circumstances  beyond  my  control 
should  have  prevented  an  earlier  reply. 

The  Boott  Cotton  Mills,  as  you  well  know,  are  devoted  exclu¬ 
sively  to  the  manufacture  of  cotton  goods.  The  capital  of  the 
company  is  $1,200,000,  all  paid  in.  The  buildings  consist  of 
4  water  mills,  each  150  feet  long,  and  48  feet  wide — four  stories 
high,  besides  the  basement.  There  belong  to  the  establishment, 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  hands,  32  boarding  houses,  in 
which,  with  but  few  exceptions,  all  reside,  both  male  and  fe¬ 
male.  Each  house  is  calculated  to  contain  with  comfort  about 
30  inmates,  besides  the  family  of  the  tenant.  There  are  32 
smaller  tenements,  for  men  employed  in  the  yard  who  have 
families.  These  64  tenements  are  comprised  in  8  blocks,  built 
of  brick  and  slated. 

In  the  week  following  the  first  Saturday  of  the  current  month, 
there  were  paid  off  in  the  yard,  for  labor  performed  in  the  pre¬ 
ceding  four  weeks,  eight  hundred  and  sixteen  girls.  That  is 
about  the  number  which  we  constantly  require. 

It  is  always  intended  to  adapt  the  employment  of  the  hands 
to  their  age  and  intelligence.  A  contrary  course,  if  persisted 
in,  must  inevitably  result  in  discomfiture.  The  amount  of 
muscular  strength  which  a  girl  is  required  to  exert  in  any  de¬ 
partment  is  very  small.  The  water-wheel  has  nearly  super¬ 
seded  the  use  of  it  in  all  cases;  and  where  that  agent  cannot 
be  advantageously  used,  men  are  employed  to  perform  those 
offices  which  require  any  considerable  effort. 

For  the  four  weeks  ending  March  4.  1844,  the  average  wages 
of  the  girls  was  as  follows : 


1845.] 


HOUSE— No.  50. 


19 


Mill  No.  1,  - 

“  “  2,  - 

“  “  3,  - 

“  “  4,  - 


$ 2  95 
3  10 
3  17 
3  01 


These  several  sums,  in  all  cases,  include  board,  which  is  $1  25 
per  week.  Subtract  that  amount,  and  the  remainder  is  the  net 
earnings. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  with  certainty  how  these  earnings  are 
disposed  of;  but  from  the  known  habits  and  character  of  the 
girls  it  may  fairly  be  inferred  that,  with  few  exceptions,  they 
are  applied  to  laudable  objects.  They  are  obtained  at  too  great 
a  sacrifice  of  ease  to  be  squandered  upon  articles  of  mere  fine¬ 
ry,  or  in  the  pursuit  of  frivolous  amusements.  A  knowledge  of 
their  habits  and  modes  of  life,  previous  to  their  entrance  into 
the  mills,  will  assist  one  in  coming  to  a  correct  conclusion  upon 
the  subject. 

It  appears,  from  an  inspection  of  the  books,  that  but  72  of  the 
816  girls  in  the  mills  reside  permanently  and  have  their  home 
in  the  city  of  Lowell.  All  others  come  from  towns  in  the 
country,  more  or  less  remote — from  Maine,  New  Hampshire 
and  Vermont,  as  well  as  Massachusetts.  With  a  view  of  learn¬ 
ing  the  distance  which  they  travel,  on  an  average,  to  get  to 
Lowell,  I  took  the  names  under  the  letter  A  on  the  Register 
which  has  been  kept  for  some  time,  and  enrols  those  now  in 
the  mills  as  well  as  many  who  have  left,  and  measured  on  the 
map  the  number  of  miles  which  Lowell  lies  from  the  place  of 
their  abode.  Upon  adding  these  several  sums  together,  and 
dividing  the  aggregate  by  70,  the  number  of  names  entered 
under  that  letter,  the  result  was  70.67  miles.  Of  course,  this 
mode  of  calculating,  by  avoiding  all  crooks  in  the  roads,  gives 
less  than  the  true  distance.  They  travel  alone  and  unattended 
all  over  New  England,  in  cars,  stage  coaches  and  steamboats, 
and  it  is  very  unusual  to  enter  any  public  vehicle,  leaving  or 
coming  into  Lowell,  without  meeting  many  of  them.  Such  is 
public  sentiment,  and  such  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
country,  that  they  do  it  with  perfect  impunity.  Their  sole  ob¬ 
ject  in  leaving  home  and  coming  here,  from  places  so  remote, 
and  entering  upon  an  entirely  new  co«urse  of  life,  is  to  make 


20 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


more  money  by  their  exertions  than  they  can  in  any  other  em¬ 
ployment.  They  are  not  paupers.  They  are  not  diiven  here 
by  wretchedness  and  hunger.  They  have  homes  and  friends 
to  which  they  expect  to  return.  Few  intend  to  make  this 
place  their  permanent  residence,  or  to  devote  their  lives,  or  even 
a  great  portion  of  it,  to  the  business  of  manufacturing.  They 
have  commonly  some  definite  purpose  to  accomplish,  and  then 
they  intend  to  go  back  to  their  friends.  Their  schemes  are 
laid  before  the  wages  are  earned.  Gain,  and  not  bread,  is  the 
object  of  their  pursuit ;  and,  with  very  few  exceptions,  it  is 
kept  steadily  in  view. 

It  is  estimated  in  round  numbers  that  the  factory  girls  have 
over  $100,000  in  the  Savings  Bank.  It  is  not  usually  placed 
there  for  investment,  but  for  safe  keeping,  until  they  are  ready 
to  go  home.  Then  it  is  spent,  sometimes  in  the  pursuit  of 
learning,  or  in  educating  a  brother  or  sister ;  very  often  in  fur¬ 
nishing  their  future  residences  with  such  articles  of  use  or  lux¬ 
ury  as  their  parents  are  unable  to  bestow ;  and  not  unfrequent- 
ly  in  administering  to  the  necessities  of  poor  and  aged  parents. 
A  small  portion  only  of  their  income  is  spent  in  Lowell,  and 
their  general  habits  may  be  considered  economical  and  thrifty. 

These  facts  explain  the  necessity  which  the  several  compa¬ 
nies  are  under  of  owning  their  boarding  houses.  Girls  coming 
from  abroad,  and  ignorant  of  the  world,  would  be  entirely  lost 
in  a  place  like  this,  were  no  one  to  look  out  for  their  safety. 
Now  every  girl  who  can  obtain  employment  in  a  mill  is  sure  of 
finding  a  good  boarding  place  in  one  of  the  corporation  houses. 

Men  and  girls  work  together  in  the  mills,  in  the  same  rooms, 
but  they  board  in  separate  houses.  A  great  many  of  the  men 
are  married — the  overseers  and  second  overseers  of  the  rooms 
almost  without  exception.  During  work  hours,  the  strictest 
order  and  decorum  are  observed,  and  a  close  attention  is  paid 
to  business,  and  any  deviation  from  the  rules  subjects  the  of¬ 
fender  to  a  reprimand  or  expulsion  ;  and  a  dismission  for  such 
cause  banishes  the  culprit  from  all  the  mills  in  Lowell. 

When  a  girl  enters  the  mills,  she  takes  what  is  called  a  regu¬ 
lation  paper — a  printed  paper  containing  some  of  the  more 
prominent  rules  which  she  is  required  to  observe.  One  of  them 


1845.] 


HOUSE— No.  50. 


21 


is  that  she  shall  board  in  one  of  the  houses  of  the  company  for 
which  she  works.  This  rule  she  is  required  to  observe,  unless 
a  relaxation  is  obtained  in  favor  of  residing  with  a  parent,  or 
a  brother,  or  a  sister,  who  must  be  housekeepers.  This  privi¬ 
lege,  from  their  peculiar  relation  to  the  place,  is  seldom  applied 
for.  The  mass  board  in  the  corporation  houses.  These  houses 
are  rented  lor  $100  per  annum,  to  tenants  who  agree  to  keep  them 
exclusively  for  this  purpose.  The  tenants  are  selected  with 
great  care,  and  after  full  and  minute  inquiries  into  their  quali¬ 
fication  for  the  situation.  Their  characters  for  morality  are 
strictly  investigated,  and  their  ability  to  manage  and  control 
such  a  household  as  they  must  necessarily  have  thoroughly  ex¬ 
amined.  They  must  not  only  have  an  established  reputation 
for  skilful  housewifery,  but  their  deportment  be  sober  and  dis¬ 
creet,  calculated  to  command  the  respect  of  the  inmates,  as  well 
as  to  win  their  confidence.  The  girls  are  allowed  to  change 
from  one  house  to  another  at  their  pleasure,  and  as  there  is 
rather  more  house-room  than  is  strictly  required  for  their  ac¬ 
commodation,  free  competition  operates  here  as  it  does  every 
where  else,  and  produces  a  sufficient  degree  of  kindness  on  the 
part  of  the  landladies  for  the  comfort  of  the  boarders — while 
the  fear  of  losing  their  place  in  the  mill,  by  any  misconduct, 
imposes  a  salutary  restraint  upon  the  vivacity  of  the  girls. 
There  are  certain  rules  and  regulations  for  the  government  of 
boarding-houses,  which  it  is  presumed  are  always  enforced  ; — 
in  addition  to  these,  every  body  understands  that  all  the  decen¬ 
cies  and  proprieties  of  life  must  be  strictly  observed.  Any  in¬ 
tentional  violation  is  just  cause  for  expulsion,  and  it  is  com¬ 
monly  executed.  A  lax  system  of  family  government — any 
practices  contrary  to  good  morals,  and  subversive  of  the  wel¬ 
fare  of  society,  cannot  long  exist  in  a  neighborhood  so  consti¬ 
tuted  without  detection.  There  is  no  agent  or  superintendent 
in  Lowell  who  would  sustain  a  housekeeper  for  a  moment  after 
such  a  development.  Public  sentiment  would  compel  him, 
whatever  his  own  inclinations  might  be,  to  send  her  off  in  dis¬ 
grace,  or  his  own  affairs  would  be  in  no  enviable  condition. 

The  houses  are  commonly  kept  by  unmarried  women,  either 
widows  or  maidens.  Many  of  them  have  been  accustomed  to 


HOURS  OP  LABOR. 


22 


[March, 


better  circumstances,  and  have  been  compelled  by  misfortune 
to  resort  to  this  employment  for  a  livelihood. 

With  the  instruction  of  the  hands  in  literature  and  religion, 
their  employers  never  interfere.  Public'  sentiment,  to  which 
all  are  amenable,  would  not  permit  it.  There  is  a  lurking 
jealousy  against  rich  corporations,  and  it  is  charged  upon  the 
agents  that  they  exert  an  undue  influence  upon  the  people  un¬ 
der  their  jurisdiction.  Every  one  claims  the  right  to  which  he 
is  entitled  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  to  form  his  own  opinion  upon 
all  subjects  connected  with  politics  and  religion.  In  his  own 
estimation,  he  acts  in  conformity  with  it.  This  prerogative  is 
claimed  by  the  operative  in  common  with  every  citizen,  and 
any  encroachment  upon  it  would  arouse  the  worst  feelings,  and 
would  be  resisted  with  the  utmost  pertinacity.  No  partiality 
is  shown  to  ony  sect  or  party,  but  all  are  received  upon  the 
same  footing  of  equality.  But,  although  no  inquisition  is  made 
into  their  articles  of  belief,  it  is  required  as  a  sine  qua  non  that 
they  all  exhibit  a  correct  moral  deportment.  No  public  provis¬ 
ion  is  made  by  law  for  religious  instruction  here  or  elsewhere, 
but,  by  a  law  of  the  State,  every  child  under  15  years  of  age, 
who  shall  be  employed  in  any  manufacturing  establishment,  is 
required  to  attend  some  day  school  where  instruction  is  given 
by  a  teacher,  legally  qualified,  three  months  in  every  twelve 
months  ;  and  every  owner  and  agent  who  shall  illegally  employ 
such  child,  is  liable  to  indictment  and  a  fine  of  fifty  dollars  for 
each  offence.  In  practice,  the  law  has  but  little  effect  upon  the 
population,  We  employ  but  one  girl  under  15  years  of  age  in 
all  our  works.  A  single  fact  will  show,  that  nearly  all  have 
enjoyed  some  advantages  of  education  previous  to  their  entrance 
into  the  mills.  Of  the  816  girls  employed  by  us,  on  the  first 
Saturday  of  the  present  month,  only  43  could  not  write  their 
names  legibly.  Forty  of  these  are  supposed  to  be  Irish,  two 
English,  and  one  Yankee. 

Tne  people  work  on  an  average  through  the  year,  as  nearly 
as  can  be  calculated,  12£  hours  per  day.  This  calculation  is 
based  upon  the  working  days  only.  There  are  four  holidays 
observed  in  Lowell,  and  three  in  other  parts  of  the  country. 
These  are  omitted  in  the  estimate.  From  20th  September  to 


1845.] 


HOUSE — No.  50. 


23 


20th  March,  they  commence  in  the  morning  as  soon  as  they 
are  able  to  see  by  daylight,  and  quit  at  30  minutes  after  7  P.  M. 
During  the  rest  of  the  year,  they  work  as  nearly  as  possible 
from  5  A.  M.  to  7  P.  M.  They  do  it  when  the  days  are  long 
enough.  From  1st  November  to  1st  March,  they  breakfast 
before  going  into  the  mill.  At  other  times  they  go  out  to  break¬ 
fast,  and'  are  allowed  thirty  minutes.  Dinner  is  uniformly 
served  at  12 J  P.  M.  From  1st  May  to  1st  August,  they  are 
allowed  45  minutes  for  that  meal, — for  the  residue  of  the  year, 
30  minutes. 

As  no  direct  surveillance  is  employed,  it  is  impossible  for  the 
agent  to  know  with  absolute  certainty  how  the  girls  pass  their 
time  when  out  of  the  mills.  But  after  working  the  whole  day 
with  great  diligence,  and  certain  of  being  called  to  resume  their 
labors  early  in  the  morning,  it  is  fair  to  presume,  that  they  go 
early  to  bed.  And,  besides,  the  boarding  houses  are  all  re¬ 
quired  to  be  closed  at  10  o’clock  P.  M. 

There  are  no  regular  public  amusements  to  which  they  can 
resort  in  the  place.  About  ten  years  ago  a  building  was  erected, 
and  an  attempt  made  to  establish  a  theatre, — but  the  municipal 
authorities  refused  the  necessary  license,  and  after  a  severe 
contest,  in  which  public  sentiment  was  abundantly  developed 
at  the  ballot  box,  they  were  sustained,  and  the  project  aban¬ 
doned.  It  has  never  been  revived,  and  the  building  is  demol¬ 
ished.  A  number  of  benevolent  individuals  have  associated 
together,  under  the  name  of  the  Lowell  Institute,  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  having  a  lecture  once  a  week  upon  some  literary  topic, 
to  which  the  girls  can  resort.  Tickets  are  sold  to  the  girls  for 
75  cents,  which  entitles  them  to  the  course  of  26  lectures.  The 
association  has  the  use  of  the  City  Hall,  which  will  contain 
about  1,000,  free  of  expense.  Some  distinguished  individual 
from  abroad  is  usually  invited  to  make  the  address.  Many  of 
the  girls  attend  regularly. 

Several  of  the  religious  societies,  to  some  one  of  which  nearly 
all  the  girls  belong,  have  frequent  evening  meetings  in  the  win¬ 
ter,  which  they  can  attend  at  pleasure.  A  few  of  the  girls 
sometimes  attend  dancing  parties,  which  occasionally  take  place 
in  the  winter,  but  never  in  the  summer. 


24 


HOURS  OF  LABOR. 


[March, 


As  a  general  rule,  the  girls  pass  their  time  with  great  regu¬ 
larity, — early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise.  The  evils  which  con¬ 
stant  employment  and  want  of  amusements  are  calculated  to 
produce,  if  persisted  in  too  long,  are  to  a  very  great  extent  coun¬ 
teracted  by  periodical  visits  to  their  friends.  They  are  sus¬ 
tained  by  the  certainty  of  obtaining  the  object  of  their  pursuit, 
if  heajth  and  life  are  spared,  and  when  the  time  arrives,  they 
grasp  it,  and  immediately  retire  to  their  homes,  to  recruit  their 
wasted  energies,  and  prepare,  if  need  be,  for  another  campaign. 

As  to  their  general  habits  and  character,  I  have  but  little  to 
add.  It  will  be  seen,  from  what  I  have  said,  that  we  have, 
strictly  speaking,  no  factory  population, — no  fixed  and  perma¬ 
nent  inhabitants  attached  to  the  place, — who,  feeling  no  ambi¬ 
tion  to  rise  above  their  present  condition,  spend  their  earnings 
as  fast  as  they  accrue,— secure,  at  worst,  of  a  place  in  the  poor 
house,  and  content  with  it.  Our  laborers  are  altogether  of  an¬ 
other  description,  and  with  different  aspirations.  We  are  de¬ 
pendent  for  them  upon  the  surrounding  country.  As  none 
from  abroad  under  15  years  of  age  can  be  employed,  on  ac¬ 
count  of  the  school  law,  they  have  all  attained  to  years  of 
some  discretion  before  they  enter  the  mills.  The  great  mass 
of  them  are  from  the  agricultural  districts,  where  the  most 
primitive  habits  and  the  strictest  morals  prevail.  Their 
entrance  into  the  factory  is  looked  upon  by  their  parents 
with  great  anxiety,  and  the  girls  themselves  are  doubly  for¬ 
tified  to  withstand  the  manifold  trials  and  temptations  which 
they  expect  to  encounter.  They  come  with  a  fixed  determina¬ 
tion  not  to  bring  dishonor  upon  their  homes,  to  which  after  a 
short  absence  they  fondly  hope  to  return.  They  meet  here  in 
masses,  but  as  total  strangers,  under  the  eye  of  the  matron  who 
keeps  the  boarding-house  and  watches  over  their  behavior. 
Few  opportunities  are  afforded  to  any  one  for  approaching 
them  with  sinister  designs.  A  convincing  proof  that  they  do 
not  become  contaminated  by  this  course  of  life,  is  that  they  do 
not  lose  caste  in  their  own  circle.  They  are  affectionately  wel¬ 
comed  back  by  their  relatives  and  friends,  and  most  of  them 
marry  and  settle  among  their  early  associates.  Had  they  be¬ 
come  corrupted,  this  could  not  take  place,  unless  the  whole 


1845. j 


HOUSE — i\o.  50. 


community  be  equally  corrupt.  At  any  rate,  it  is  sufficient  to 
dispel  all  suspicions  that  they  become  contaminated  by  their 
exposure  to  factory  influences  here.  A  charge  of  this  kind 
cannot  be  sustained,  if  it  appear  that  they  return  in  no  worse 
condition  than  they  came.^-The  factory  system  has  now  been 
in  operation  long  enough  for  the  great  public  to  judge  of  its  ef¬ 
fects  upon  the  character  of  the  operatives,  and  it  declares  with 
great  unanimity  that  it  is  not  injurious.  There  seems  to  be  no 
way  to  avoid  that  conclusion,  when  we  see  the  great  majority 
of  girls  who  are  compelled  to  labor  for  a  livelihood,  prefer  to 
work  in  the  mills  rather  than  in  private  families— and  when 
this  choice  has  the  approbation  of  their  parents,  and  other 
friends,  and  is  in  accordance  with  public  sentiments 

Prom  actual  inquiry,  made  of  all  the  girls  in  one  of  our 
mills,  203  in  number,  in  1841,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  aver¬ 
age  age  was  22.85  years ;  and  the  average  time  which  they 
had  been  employed  in  manufacturing  4.29  years.  It  follows 
that  the  average  age  at  which  they  entered  was  18.56  years. 
The  average  time  they  remain  in  the  mills  is  probably  about 
4£  years.  The  population,  in  respect  to  age,  presents  the  same 
general  aspect  that  it  did  when  I  first  became  acquainted  with 
it.  The  parts  are  constantly  changing,  but  a  stranger  who 
only  sees  them  occasionally  cannot  distinguish  any  difference 


4 


\ 


' 


. 

1 


* 


' 


k. 


